Page 368

Hector filled in his cylinder with a platform and was soon atop the slab. Fog roiled violently around the edges of the metal, but for the moment, he had a perfectly clear view of the sky and Garovel.

‘It fled on your right,’ said the reaper. ‘Oh joy. It’s coming after me now.’

From outside the fog, Stoker came rocketing up toward Garovel. The reaper started back down toward Hector, and when Stoker’s swiping hands caught up with him, Garovel smoothly dodged a string of attacks. Then the creature had to back off when a javelin sailed between them.

Hector pressed his hands to the slab, and a curving wall leapt out of it. Garovel phased through the metal half-dome, and Hector expected Stoker to come flying over the top. He was proved correct and threw another javelin as soon as he saw the man. But even still, Stoker jetted out of its path, zigzagging to safety.

Hector growled. ‘How do I hit this damn thing?!’

‘You need to trap it,’ said Garovel. ‘If it can avoid your attack, then it almost certainly will. So come up with something unavoidable.’

He only had a moment to consider his options before Stoker barreled into him, carrying him away from the slab and fog both. Stoker bit into his arm, and Hector just ignored it, instead taking the opportunity to encase the man in metal.

They hit the dirt together, and Hector rolled away from the iron statue. And for a moment, when he saw Stoker again, he thought that might have been enough. But the coating didn’t last. Stoker broke out with brute force. Chunks of busted metal scattered around the creature as it returned to its feet.

Once again, Hector met its hollow gaze.

Then, without warning, there came a distant crack, and the creature’s body jerked backward as something tiny whizzed past its head.

Hector blinked. ‘What was that?’

‘A gunshot?’ said Garovel. ‘I think it came from the town.’

‘That was--? But it--wait. So this thing just dodged a fucking bullet?!’

Another gunshot, again avoided. Stoker looked in the direction of the town and then promptly sped off toward it.

‘What the--?’ And Hector realized. ‘Colt!’ He bolted after Stoker.